Final Approved by FS 12-20-05

FACULTY SENATE MEETING MINUTES

December 6, 2005

 

OFFICERS:  Judy Kilborn, Annette Schoenberger, JoAnn Gasparino, Robert Johnson

IFO BOARD:  Jayantha Herath, Andrew Larkin, Annette Schoenberger; Negotiator:  Bill Langen

BUSINESS:  (Unit Representative) P.N. SubbaNarasimha; (ACCT) vacant; (BCIS) Susantha Herath, Ray Tsai; (FIRE) William Hudson; (MGMT) Larry Roth, vacant; (MKGB) Rajesh Gulati, James C. Johnson

EDUCATION:  (Unit Representative) Stephen Hornstein; (CFS) Fati Zarghami; (CEEP) Nona Wilson, Robert Murphy; (HRESS) Mark Moore, Caryl Martin; (HURL) Michael Tripp; (LDR) John Rapp, Frances Kayona; (IM) John Theis; (SPED) John Hoover, Dory Beutel; (TDEV) David Heine, Geoffrey Tabakin, Ramon Serrano

FINE ARTS & HUMANITIES:  (Unit Representative) Frances Condon; (ART) Nancy Weston; (CDSI) Margery Whites; (CMST) Scott Wells, Dan Wildeson, David Warne; (ENGL) Judith Dorn, Suzanne Ross, Jim Robinson, Carol Mohrbacher; (FORL) Gloria Melgarejo, Bill Langen; (COMM) vacant, vacant; (MUSIC) Marion Judish, Mark Springer; (PHIL) Yiwei Zheng, Carla Johnson; (THFD) Debra Leigh

SCIENCE & ENGINEERING:  (Unit Representative) Balsy Kasi; (AVIA) Steve Anderson; (BIOL) Oladele Gazal, Heiko Schoenfuss, Matt Julius; (CHEM) Mahin Sadrai, Becky Krystyniak; (CSCI) Andrew Anda; (EAS) Tony Hansen; (EE) Ling Hou; (ETS) Tony Akubue; (ME) Steve Covey; (MATH) Dale Buske, vacant, William Branson; (NURS) Sue Herm; (PHYS) Kevin Haglin; (STAT) Leonard Onyiah, John Gammell

SOCIAL SCIENCES:  (Unit Representative) vacant; (CMTY) Rona Karasik; (CJUS) vacant, vacant; (ECON) Ming Chien Lo; Orn Bodvarsson; (ES) Dia Cha; (GEOG) Ken Wong; (HIST) Mark Jaede; (POL) Steve Frank;  (PSYC) Leslie Valdes; (SW) Sandra Chesborough; (SAN) Tracy Ore, John Alessio; (WS) Elizabeth Berila

SPECIAL SERVICES:  (Unit Representative) Susan Motin; (OAA) vacant; (COUN) JoAnn Gasparino; (LR&TS) Chris Inkster, Sandra Q. Williams, Tom Hergert; (MEN’S ATHL) vacant; (WOMEN’S ATHL) Jenifer Odette

 

1.       Call to order at 3:25 p.m.

2.       Approval of Minutes

a.       Faculty Senate Minutes of November 8, 2005 (FS 120605 2.a.1);  November 22, 2005 (FS 120605 2.a.2)

Motion to approve FS minutes of November 8, 2005—(Schoenberger/Karasik).  Passed

Motion to approve FS minutes of November 22, 2005—(Onyiah/Gasparino).  Passed

b.       Executive Committee Minutes of November 15, 2005 (FS 120605 2.b.1); November 29, 2005  (FS 120605 2.b.2)

Motion to approve EC minutes of November 15, 2005—(Condon/Schoenberger).  Passed

Motion to approve EC minutes of November 29, 2005—(Schoenberger/Gasparino).  Passed

            Kilborn pointed out the motions in the EC minutes of November 29, 2005. 

c.       Research Grants Committee Minutes of November 8, 2005 (FS 120605 2.c)

Motion to approve Research Grants Committee minutes of November 8, 2005—(Schoenberger/Gasparino).  Passed           

d.       International Studies Committee Minutes of November 18, 2005 (FS 120605 2.d)

Motion to approve ISC minutes of November 18, 2005—(Williams/Gasparino).  Passed

3.       Treasurer’s Report—to be given at next Senate meeting.

4.       Consent Agenda

5.       Call for new agenda items

6.       Announcements—Kilborn handed out a voting schedule for next semester.  She discussed the email concerning retirement investments that was sent out from Russ Stanton, and she asked for Senate to encourage faculty to send Russ their input. 

a.       Curriculum Forms—Kilborn asked that these forms be taken back to departments for feedback at the first Senate meeting in the spring.  She pointed out that the forms needed to be revised to accommodate doctorate programs.

b.       Request to Hire Form (FS 120605 6.b)—there have been two motions that went forward to the Provost.  He is aware that Senate hiring to take place immediately.  He indicated that they will continue to use the draft form and will ask for our feedback on it. 

c.       Delegate Assembly – March 24-25, 2005 (FS 120605 6.c)—Kilborn discussed the handout briefly, and pointed out the deadlines locally and for the IFO.  She discussed sending the resolutions electronically to ease the process.  Schoenberger added that she has all the current resolutions available electronically if anyone is interested.  SCSU has 44 spaces for delegates. 

d.       IFO Board Report (FS 120605 6.d)—Kilborn pointed out the handout on Academic Affairs Report in the Senate packets. 

e.       Update on Searches and Use of Search Firms—the Provost and those elected have been notified.

1.       COE Dean Search Election Results:

At-large

Kurt Helgeson

College of Education

Mary Beth Noll, Special Education

Ming-Chi Own, CFS

Nancy Bacharach, Teacher Development

Kay Worner, Ed Administration

Semya Hakim, Human Relations

 

2.       COB Dean Search Election—Ballots went out with four names on them, and they are due back Monday.  There is one space available for write-in candidates. 

3.       Search Firms for COB, COE, and COSS—Kilborn has the proposals for search firms available if anyone is interested.  She will bring copies to next Senate.  She briefly discussed the search firms.

4.       Search Firm for Affirmative Action and VP of Student Life and Development—Kilborn said that at the last EC they made a list of what they want to see done.  She met with the President and Anne Zemek de Dominguez.  She discussed the results of the meeting and will bring that back to EC.  The search committees will have access to all the files (names may be blackened out), and they will go to the “airport interviews.”  The issue of confidentiality is the concern of HR and the Search Firms.  Kilborn said that there was no RFP for AA since it was under $50,000, but she has copies of the proposals that people made and the contracts.  Kilborn was asked to consult with IFO legal about when RFPs are required, and she will consult with Pat Arsenault.  The search firms are collecting the applications from those responding to the advertising, as well as those who are recruited.  The later group are the ones that HR and the Search Firms are worried about protecting.  Senate discussed that the faculty search committees are qualified, sensitive, and have academic search experience. Kilborn said that the discussion about this is not over with Administration.  She will keep Senate updated, and she asked search committee members to alert of her of any future problems. 

7.       Unfinished Business

a.       Academic Freedom Committee Report (Condon) (FS 120605 7.a.1 and 7.a.2)

Motion that Faculty Senators take the Academic Freedom Committee Report and the summary recommendations back to their departments for discussion, that the report be posted on Discuss, that an electronic copy be sent to the FA listserv, and that Senators bring feedback and comments to Senate.  Also, that we invite Michael Spitzer to be at the next Senate, time definite 4:30 p.m.—(Condon/Motin) 

Condon discussed the Academic Freedom Committee Report.  The committee met several times, and in the fall the committee agreed on the report.  She pointed out some complicated issues such as the fact that there is nothing protecting rights of Academic Freedom at SCSU, and also the important distinction between constitutional freedom of speech and Academic Freedom.  Condon discussed the right of free speech and referred Senators to the handout.   

Division of Motion by Johnson:

Motion that Faculty Senators take the Academic Freedom Committee Report and the summary recommendations back to their departments for discussion, that the report be posted on Discuss, that an electronic copy be sent to the FA listserv, and that Senators bring feedback and comments to Senate, time definite 4:30 p.m.  Passed

Motion that we invite Michael Spitzer to be at the next Senate, time definite 4:30 p.m.

Motion to substitute—(Johnson/Kasi).  Passed

Substitute motion that we invite Michael Spitzer to come to the Senate after the Senate has had a discussion of the topic.  Passed 

Motion to close debate—(Onyiah//Schoenberger).  Passed    

Motion to thank Frankie Condon—(Roth/Hornstein).  Passed 

8.   New Business

h.   Diversity and Public Celebrations of Religious/Cultural Differences (FS 112205 8.k)

Motin briefly discussed the statement, and said that the committee was concerned about being inclusive.  This is a good faith attempt for everyone to be able to celebrate their own religious and cultural differences. 

Motion to approve the statement on Diversity and Public Celebrations of Religious/Cultural Differences—(Motin/Schoenberger).  Passed

There was discussion for and against the motion.  Senate is all for inclusiveness, but they pointed out that the statement does not cover all religions and cultures.  It was pointed out that this is also an academic freedom issue.  There was a lot of discussion of Senators’ personal beliefs, experiences, and opinions, in opposition and in favor of the motion.

Motion to close debate—(Schoenberger/Gasparino).  Failed: in favor: 19; opposed: 12; abstentions: 6

            There was more discussion for and against the statement. 

Motion to substitute “acknowledging traditions” instead celebrations—(Motin/Schoenberger).  Failed

f.    Rights and Responsibilities under the Grade Appeal Policy (FS 102505 6.e.1 and 6.e.2)

Motion to send this document to Academic Affairs Committee and that they get back to us by February—(Schoenberger/Hergert).  Passed

7.   Unfinished Business

b.       Strategic Planning Membership and Terms Proposal (FS 112205 2.g.2)

Motion that Faculty Senate supports the Strategic Planning Membership and Terms Proposal—(Schoenberger/Motin).  Passed

8.       New Business

a.       Recruitment and Retention—not discussed.

b.       Summer Session (FS 092705 8.e.1; FS 092705 8.e.2)—not discussed.

c.       Space Assignment Policy (FS 092705 8.f)—not discussed.

d.       Division of General Studies (DGS) Advisory Committee Minutes of September 13, 2005 (FS 101105 2.d)—not discussed.

e.       Meeting Rooms for Senate (Williams)—not discussed.

f.         Rights and Responsibilities under the Grade Appeal Policy (FS 102505 6.e.1 and 6.e.2)—discussed above.

g.       Academic Freedom and Responsibility (a.k.a. Academic Bill of Rights) (FS 110805 8.j)—not discussed.

h.       Diversity and Public Celebrations of Religious/Cultural Differences (FS 112205 8.k)—discussed above.

i.         Doctorates—not discussed.

j.         Fox 9 News—not discussed.

k.       Conflict Avoidance Scheduling (FS 120605 8.k)—not discussed.

9.       Adjournment at 5:00 p.m.